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Salvation  for  t 
Conf  Pam  12mo  #134 

DTTD3m3EEZ 


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SALVATION  FOR  THE  SINNER 

IiV    THE 

REV.    IDIFt-    IHAJSHD^; 

OF 

P OETSMOUTn,    V  A . 


"But  wliere  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much/more 
abound."-  r.  20. 


* 


\ 


Note.  The  expense  of  printing  this  little  tract  h  de- 
frayed, by  a  donation  to  the  author,  by  the  late  Robert 
Forsyth,  of  Co.  I<\,  14th  Keg.  Louisiana  Volunteers;  who 
was  executed  near  Camp  Benjamin,  in  Norfolk  county,  Va., 
under  sentence  of  a  Regimental  Court  Martial,  for  an  al- 
leged high  crime.  The  doctrines  here  taught  are  the  same 
tha^  were  preached  to  him  in  his  cell :  and  which  resulted 
in  h>s  hopeful  conversion  to  God. 

SrWThe  earnest  reader  trill  not  fail,  carefully,  to  search 
out.  all  the  scriptures  here  quoted. 


SALVATION  FOR  THE  SINNEJt. 


My  Dear  Friend  : — Hear  the  words  of  one  who  would 
speak  to  you,  in  candor,  and  affection — of  one,  who  would 
give  you  a  Bible  view  of  your  wretched  condition,  by  nature, 
and  of  the  glorious  hope  set  before  you  in  the  gospel. 

You  are  a  sinner  !  Eccles.  vii.  20.  Your  sins  are  very 
great — much  greater  than  you  suppose.  Jer.  xvii.  9.  You 
are  in  the  very  "  gall  of  bitterness,  and  in  the  bonds  of  in- 
iquity." Acts  viii.  23.  You  are  without  excuse  ;  John 
xv.  22.  and  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  upon  you.  John 
iii.  36. 

The  evidence  of  your  sinful  character  appears  in  the  fact, 
that  you  have  wholly  neglected  the  one  only,  living  and,  true 
God.  Ps.  x.  4.  You  have  neither  feared,  honored,  nor 
reverenced  Him.  Eccles.  viii.  13.  Heb.  xii.  28.  It  may 
be  truly  said  of  you,  that  you  arc  *'  without  God  in  the 
world."  Eph.  ii.  12.  God  is  not  in  all  your  thoughts. 
Ps.  x.  4.  You  certainly  do  not  ''eat,  drink, ''and  do  all 
things  for  the  glory  of  God."  1  Cor.  x.  31.  You  do  not 
love  God  "  with  all  your  heart,  soul,  mind  and  strength." 
Mark  xii.  30. 

Neither  have  you  had  any  proper  regard  for  your  neigh- 
bor. Matt,  xxii  39.  You  have  not  remembered,  tbat  all 
men  are  brethren  ;  Isa.  lviii.  7.  and  that  it  concerns  you  to 
be  careful  of  the  interest,  and  welfare  &  others,  as  well  as 
of  your  own.  Phil.  ii.  4.  You  have  not  done  "unto  all 
men.  as  you  would  have  them  do  unto'  you."  Matt.  vii.  12. 
You  have  too  often,  in  the  spirit  of  the  murderous  Cain, 
enquired,   "  Am  I  my  brother's  keeper  ?"  Gen.  iv.  9. 

You  have,  all  your  life,  been  thinking  of  your  own  tem- 
poral interest  and  pleasure.     1  Cor,  x.  24.      You  have  set 


4  SALVATION  'FOB   THE    SINNER. 

your  affections  on  tilings  on  the  earth ;  Coll.  iii.  2.  and  the 
language  of  your  heart  has  always  been,  "  What  shall  I 
eat,  and  wbat  shall  I  drink,  and  wherewithal  shall  1  be 
clothed."     Matt.  vi.  31. 

Have  you  not,  also,  at  limes,  indulged  in  various  hateful 
and  malignant  passions  V — such  as  pride,  vanity,  jealousy, 
deceit,  anger,  malice,  revenge.  Hum.  i.  2i>,  cVc,  xi.  20, 
and  2  Tim.  vi.  17.  Have  you  not  often  been  sadly  deficient 
in  gentleness,  kindness,  forbearance?  Qui.  v.  22.  Eph.  iv. 
2.  32.  Have  you  not  said  many  hard  things  ?  Jude  15. 
Have  you  not  omitted  many  known  duties  ?  Mat  r.  xx  v.  \ 
Have  you  not  had  ten  thousand  ceil  thoughts?  Prov.  xv.  26. 
Matt.  ix.  4.     To  all  this,  let  conscience  answer! 

Let  me  assure  you  my  friend,  that  if  there  be  any  truth 
in  the  word  of  God,  you  are  covered  all  over  with  the  lep- 
rosy of  sin.  Luke  v.  12.  "From  the  sole  of  the  foot, 
even  unto  the  head,"  you  are  a  disgusting  mass  of  "  wounds, 
bruises,  and  putrifying  sores."  Isa.  i.  6.  Such  is  the  condi- 
tion of  every  unregenerate  man — wicked,  and  only  wicked 
continually.     Gen.  vi.  5. — Jer.  xvii.  9. 

Alas!  my  poor  sinful  friend,  how  wretched  is  your  con- 
dition V  Prov.  xiii.  15.  Isa.  xlviii.  23.  Lost  and  undone  ! 
Luke  xv.  24.  Isa.  vi.  5.  In  your  present  unrenewed  state, 
it  is  impossible  for  you  to  be  saved.  Luke  xiii.  3  God 
looks  upon  you  as  a  vile,  loathsome  object.  Prov.  xiii.  5. 
Sin  is  that  abominable  thing  which  God  hates.  Jer.  xliv.  4. 
He  cannot  regard  it  with  the  least  degree  of  allowance. 
He  will  smite  the  finally  impenitent  with  the  sorest  ven- 
geance. Isa.  xi.  4.  The  fires  of  Tophct  shall  kindle  upon 
them  ;  Isa.  xxx.  33.  and  the  smoke  of  their  torment  shall 
ascend,  for  ever,  and  ever.  Rev.  xiv.  11. 

And  is  titer e  no  hope  for  one  in  such  a  case  .'  Must  such 
a  poor  wretch  inevitably  go  down  to  death  ? 

Thanks  be  to  God,  there  is  a  way  of  escape!  Obed.  17. 
JESUS  CHRIST,  IS  THE  SINNER'S  FRIEND.  Pmv. 
xviii.  24.  Matt.  ii.  19.  "  The  Lord  hath  laid  upon  him  the 
iniquities  of  us  all.  He  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions; 
by  his  stripes  we  are  healed."  Isa.  liii.  entire.  The  vilest 
sinner  may  be  saved  through  the  atonement  of  the  crucified 
Redeemer.  John  iii.  15.  Rom.  v.  10. 11.  He  came  into  the 
world  expressly  to  die,  "  the  just,  for  the  unjust.''  1  Pet, 
iii.  18.     "  His  blood  clcanseth  from  all  sin."     1  John  i.  7. 


SALVATION   FOR   THE   SINNER.  " 

He  is  "  the  way  ;"  John  xiv.  6.  "  the  Soor;"  .  John  x.  9. 
"there  is  none  other  name,  under  heaven,  given  among 
men-i  whereby  we  must  be  saved,"  but  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ  !  Acts  iv.  12. 

This,  my  friend,  is  the  "great  'Salvation!"  Isa.  xii.  2. 
To  neglect  this  salvation,  is  to  be  left  without  any  possible 
way  of  "  escape,"  Heb.  ii.  3.  To  embrace  it  is  to  be  sav- 
ed.    Prov.  iv.  8. 

It  is  true*,  indeed,  that  you  ..deserve  the  curse  of  God; 
Gal.  iii.  10.  Jas.  ii.  10.  Ezra  ix.  13.  but  the  very  sense  you 
have  of  guilt,  is  an  encouraging  evidence  of  his  good  pleasure 
towards  you.  Luke  xv.  19.  20.  The  Holy  Spirit  has  thus 
convicted  you  of  sin  ;  John  xvi.  8.  1  Cor.  ii.  4.  and,  now, 
that  you  have  no  hope  of  good  from  yourself,  or  from  any 
other  creature  source,  you  should  be  ready  to  fly,  at  once, 
to  the  fountain  dpen  for  sin  and  uncleanness.    Zach.  xiii.  1. 

"  The  dying  thief  rejoiced  to  see 
That  fountain  in  his  day  ; 
And  there  may  you,  tho'  vile  M 
Wash  all  your  sins  away." 

Go  then,  my  poor  burdened  friend,  to  Jesus  Christ. 
Matt  si.  28.  The  promises  of  the  gospel  arc  all  yea,  and 
Amen  ;  2  Cor.  i.  20.  and  they  are  intended  for  you  as 
much  as  for  any  other  sinner  of  the  race.  1  John  ii.  2.  The 
kind  and  loving  Savior  calls  to  you  this  moment,  as  though 
he  had  spoken  to  you  individually,  and  by  name.  Isa.  Iv.  1. 
He  says,  "Him  that  eometh  unto  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast 
out."  John  vi.  37.  The  language  is  copious — taking  in 
every  case;  meaning  every  body — high,  low,  rich,  poor, 
bond,  free,  the  most  vile,  the  most  abandoned,  the  most 
hell-deserving.  Isa.  i.  18.  Jesus  will  not  falsify  his  word. 
Heb.  xiii.  8.  He  will  send  no  man  empty  away,  who  looks 
to  Him.  Isa.  xlv.  19.  And  remember,  it  is  only  look,  and 
live.  ••  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the 
earth;  for  I  am  God,  and  there  is  none  beside  me."  Isa. 
xlv.  22.  ;'  Whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life 
freely"     Rev.  xxii.  17. 

Are  you  still  hesitating?  1  Kings  xviii.  21.  Do  you  feci 
that  this  news  is  indeed,  too  good  to  be  true  ?  Isa.  lxi.  1.  2. 
3.     Or  do  you  linger,  after  all,  from  ignorance  of  what  is 


SALVAT  ■ 


to  be  done?  Lsa.  xxix.  18.  and  xlii.  10.  [t  is  simply  to  go 
to  Jesus  ;  John  vii.  37.  feeling  your  need  of  Him  :  Matt, 
xx.  30.  go  asking  the  forgivness  of  sins,  for  His  owtt^ake  ; 
Ps.  xxv.  11.  1  John  ii.  12.  go  pleading  no  excuse  ^for 
your  great  guilt;  Ps.  exxx.  3.  Luke,  xv.  18.  with  m>  price 
in  your  hand;  Prov.  xvii.  16.  Isa.  lv.  1.  with  all  your 
sins  upon  you;  John  viii.  11.  prostrating  yourself  at  the 
very  foot  of  the  cross:  Col.  i.  20.  21.  22.  1  Cor.  i.  18. 
in  deep  penitent  self-abasement ;  Ps.  Ii.  and-.with  full  and 
unreserved  confession  of  every  sin.   1  John  i.  9. 

Go  believing — Heb.  xi.  6,  believing  that  he  is  able  to 
save  ;  Heb.  vii.  2").  that  he  is  villi Hg  to  save  ;  2  Pet.  iii.  9. 
that  he  will  indeed  save  you.  Luke  vii.  50.  Venture  thus 
wholly  upon  Him  ;  2  Tim.  i.  12.  trusting  in  his  strong  arm, 
Luke  i.  51.  the  truthfulness  of  his  word,  Titus  i.  2.  and 
his  earnest  desire  to  redeem  and  sanctify  you.  Ezek.  xxxiii. 
11.  1  Cor.  vi.  11.  Cling  to  him  thus,  by  a  true  and  living 
faith  ;  and  you  will  find  him  "an  anchor  to  the  soul,  both 
sure  and  stedfast."  Heb.  vi.  19.  " Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved/'''  Acts  xvi.  31.  You  shall 
be  saved  by  your  faith — as  the  title  to  an  inheritance — the 
sign  manual  of  Jehovah — not  as  a  meritorious  ground  of  ac- 
ceptance ;  for  this  faith  is  itself,  the  beginning  of  eternal  life. 
"  He  that  hath  the  Son,  hath  life  ;"  ,  1  John  v.  12.  "  he 
that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life."  John  iii. 
36.  "  For  by  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith  :  and  that 
not  of  yourselves:  it  is  lite  gift  of  God  :  Not  of  works, 
lest  any  man  should  boast."  Eph.  ii.  8,  9.  And,  thus  it  is 
that  Jesus  Christ  becomes  the  end  of  the  law,  for  righteous- 
ness, unto  every  one  that  believeth /"  Horn.  x.  4. 

And  now,  my  friend,  are  you  williug  to  receive  this  free 
gift  f  John  v.  6.  It  is  with  you  to  say  whether  you  will  ac- 
cept it,  or  not.  Heb.  iii.  7.  8.  He  waits  to  be  gracious  : — 
Song  of  Sol.  v.  2.  "  Come  unto  me/*  says  this  dear  Savior, 
"and  I  will  give  you  rest."  Matt.  xi.  28.  If  you  are  lost 
it  will  be  your  own  fault.  John  v.  40.  O,  sinner,  destroy 
not  thyself!  Hosea  xiii  9.  Do  you  nsk,  "  How  shall  I 
know  when  Christ  has  accepted  me  V"  If  you  have  accept- 
ed Christ,  then  He  has  accepted  you.  Decide  for  yourself, 
sensibly,  rationally,  whether  you  have  accepted  the  only 
terms  of  salvation  offered  in  the  word  of  God.  1  Peter  iii. 
15.    "Piove  your  own  selves :  know  ye  not  your  own  selves, 


SALVATION    FOR    THE    SINNER.  7 

liow  JJMt Jesus  Christ  is  in  you,  except  ye  be  reprobates?" — 
2  Cq^Sh.-5.  that  is,  unless  ye  fail  to  stand  the  test.  If 
CHmst>e  in  you,  Hu  is  "the  hope  of  glory."  Col,  i.  27. 
*' '  Whosoever  believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  is  bom  of  God. 
1  John  v.  1.  Can  you  say  ?  "  My  beloved  is  mine" — then 
may  you,  also,  say,  "I  am  his."  Song  of  Sol.  ii.  16. 
This  is  the  wituess^of  the  Spirit ;  Rom.  viii.  16.  "  He  that 
believeth  on  the  Son  of  God  hath  the  witness  in  himself ;  he 
that  believeth  not  hathmiade  him  a  liar,  because  he  believ- 
eth not  the  record,  thatuod  gave  of  his  Son."  1  John  v. 
10.  And  now  what  more  can  you  desire?  Is  not  this 
the  voice  of  God  to  your  soul  I* "Be  of  good  cheer,  thy  sins 
are  forgiven  thee  !     Matt.  ix.  '2. 

My  poor  treniflmg^elpiibting  friend,  Come  to  Jesus  f— 
just  as  you  are,  guilty,  wretched,  and  undone.  He  says 
he  will  save  you  it*^m..(M«n\but  trust  him.  "  Let  the  wick- 
ed forsake  his  way,  and  theVun righteous  man  his  thoughts  : 
and  let  him  return  unto  the  Bdrd,  and  he  have  mercy  upon 
him;  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon.'" 
Isa.  lv.  7. 

"0,  what  amazing  words  of  grace 
Are  in  the  gospel  found  ! 
Suited  to  every  sinner's  case, 
Who  hears  the  joyful  sound. 

Come,  then,  with  all  your  wants  and  wounds — 

Your  every  burden  bring ; 
Here  love,  unchanging  love  abounds, 

A  deep  celestial  spring." 

God's  "  grace  is  sufficient  for  you,"  2  Cor.  xii.  9. 
•«  Seek"  Him,  then,  "  while  He  may  be  found  :  call  ye  up- 
on Him,  while  He  is  near."    Isa,  lv.  6: 


I    WILL   OOMB   TO   J] 

L  WILL  COME  TO 

o 

Ji  st  as  I  ;i;n;  without  one  plea 
But  that  tlry  blood  for  me, 

Ami  that  thou  bid!  I 

O  Ea*mb  of  ^ 

Just  is  I  am,  and  waiting 
To  rid  my  soul  of  oikt^ItUa^- 
To  tliec  whose,  blood  can  cleaQBo/cafij^i 
0  Lamb  b|  /jh 

Just  as  I  am — poor,  wretch 
Sight,  riches,  healing  of^fie  mind, 
Yea,  all  I  need,  in  thee  to  find. 

0  Lamb  of  God,  I  come  ! 

J  ust  as  I  am — though  tossed  about 
With  man}'  a  conflict,  many  a  doubt, 
Fightings  within  and  fears  without, 

0  Lamb  of  God,  I  come ! 

Just  as  I  am,  thou  wilt  receive, 

Wilt  welcome,  pardon,  cleanse,  relieve. 

Because  thy  promise  I  believe  :     j 

0  Lamb  of  God,  I  come! 

Just  as  I  am  :  .thy  love  unknown 
Has  broken  every  barrier  down  ; 
Now  to  be  thin?,  yea,  thine  alone, 

(»  Lamb  of  God.  T  come. 


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Hollinger  Corp. 
PH8.5 


